"This is state-of-the-art active armour that surpasses characteristics of the Kontakt-5 and Relikt explosive reactive armour," the source said on the sidelines of the Army 2015 international military-technical forum, which has opened in Moscow.

"It has no analogues in the world," he said, declining to specify the name of the novelty and its characteristics. "The improvement of the new armour characteristics is achieved not by an additional explosive, which may destroy the tank systems if ammunition explodes on the armour. With the new armour, the reactive armour unit’s explosion will not be critical," the source said.

The Moscow-based Steel Research Institute said previously that the Armata tank’s armour ensures protection against all modern tank shells, anti-tank guided missiles and grenade launchers with the calibre of 100 to 150 mm. "The armour of Armata ensures protection from all current and projected tank ammunition with 120-millimeter caliber," an institute spokesman said. A number of existing antitank systems are capable of attacking targets not only directly but also from above, which makes it possible to destroy all types of modern tanks. Besides, most combat helicopters are armed with guided missiles that hit tanks’ upper part, which is less protected.

Armata is a heavy unified platform serving as a base for a tank and an infantry combat vehicle. The new tanks have received unmanned turrets, all digital control and isolated armored crew capsules. The key armament of Armata is a 125-mm gun, but the use of a 152-mm gun is not ruled out in the future. Earlier Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said an Armata shell "burns a metre of steel." The Armata tanks were showcased during the Victory Parade in Moscow on May 9, 2015. These are experimental prototypes that returned to their manufacturer plant for improvement and later tests in troops, which are to be held in 2016. Serial production of these tanks is expected to begin in 2017-2018.

The Armata is a new Russian main battle tank (MBT) project. Sometimes it is referred to as T-14. Its development commenced in 2011. The Armata was developed as a replacement to the cancelled T-95. The whole project was kept in high secrecy. First mock-up was revealed to Russian military officials in 2013. Trials commenced in 2014. Armata is a new-generation tank, which has little in common with the current T-90. Exact technical specifications of this MBT remain classified.